This year's Super Bowl halftime show didn't go off without a hitch. Instead, Usher's performance started off shaky due to sound issues.
"So pissed [CBS] completely screwed up the sound! This is such a great half-time show!!! Needed it 2 be loud AF," wrote one of many X (formerly Twitter) users with instant takes on the show.
A microphone used by Usher early in the halftime show seemed to cause the early issues. Per The Mirror, many complained that the mic caused "unnecessary bobbing noises." During the set, crew members hurriedly swapped out the faulty hardware.
Fortunately, none of that impacted the choreography.
"Usher said - sound quality issues? No problem, let me strip to make the people happy again," wrote an X user.
Though some criticized Usher and his collaborators, most of the social media discourse focused on the sound engineers. Similar complaints lit up social media in 2021 when The Weeknd headlined the halftime show.
Despite the sound issues, Usher made it through a 13-minute musical trip. Fourteen of his songs were squeezed into that window. Special guests included Alicia Keys, Lil John, Ludacris, will.i.am, H.E.R. and Atlanta music mogul turned between-song hype-person Jermaine Dupri.
Although he was at the Super Bowl, Justin Bieber didn't appear during the halftime show, despite rumors that Usher would incorporate his former protege into the performance.
As for the game itself, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in the second overtime game in Super Bowl history. The win secured the Chief's second straight world title (and its third in five years).
Taylor Swift made the game despite having to fly in a tight window to Las Vegas from Tokyo. For the second Chiefs playoff win in a row, Swift shared an on-field kiss with her partner, Travis Kelce.
